What is Cosmetic Tattooing?
Permanent Makeup, also called Cosmetic Tattooing, Micro-pigmentation, or Microblading is the process of implanting pigment beneath the surface of the skin by the means of a sterile, disposable needle to produce the appearance of soft make-up.
Is it Going to Hurt?
We provide for you, a highly-effective, topical anesthetic cream and gel that are used for numbing before and during your procedure. Most people are surprised at how little they feel during the procedure, although pain threshold levels vary from person to person.
Having this service performed during your menstrual cycle may increase discomfort during your procedure, keep this in mind when you are booking. You can take Panadine or Panadol from the day before your procedure at the maximum stated dose, which can also add to the effectiveness of the numbing.
If you are a frequent smoker, the topical anesthetics used during the treatment will not last as long. If you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, be aware that this may affect your sensitivity tolerance to the procedure.
How Long Will it Last?
Permanent makeup treatments are permanent and will not wash off, however, they will fade over time and may need to be refreshed with a follow-up appointment. Claudine recently changed pigment line to using very long lasting pigments, that are expected to last several years.
You can expect an average of 18 months and up to 3 years for Soft-Edged Powder Brows and Combination Brows. Eyeliner depends on the pigment used, the darker the colour the longer the lasting, we expect 2 to 4 years for eyeliners. Lips, depending on the desired technique can last before needing a touch up from 2 to 5 years.
Frequency of sessions depends on a number of factors including the pigment colour used (lighter colours fade faster), lifestyle (sun exposure), and if any chemical peels come into contact with treated areas. Please note that after one session the results cannot be guaranteed as each unique skin type will hold pigments differently and break down at different rates. We will re-evaluate how your skin has received the pigment at your second session and make any changes necessary. Multiple sessions are normal for cosmetic tattoo procedures, with each new procedure requiring a minimum of 2 visits. Additional sessions will be charged according to our current pricing.
Am I Going to Need More than One Treatment?
For most clients, a minimum of two treatments is usually needed, at least 6 weeks apart. With most procedures, the colour looks lighter after the first week. During the healing phase, the colour can actually almost disappear and then bloom back! With some skin types and techniques, we need to build the colour over two sessions for the best result. At the second session, we will assess the colour retention and make adjustments as necessary. Everyone heals differently and at different rates. If your cosmetic tattoo does not heal perfectly after the first session, do not worry! We can always go darker and add more density during your next appointment.
What Factors Can Affect My Treatment?
Sun exposure: The sun will extremely soften the look of your tattoo, so sunblock should be used (once healed) to prolong your enhancement.
The regeneration of skin cells: The longer the regeneration takes, the longer the pigment holds.
The speed at which the skin absorbs the pigment: The slower the absorption, the longer the pigment will hold. The choice of colour: Some colours fade quicker than others, e.g. a blonde colour will fade quicker than a dark brown colour.
The area of treatment: Enhancements to the face, for example, fade more quickly due to constant exposure.
Bleeding during the procedure: Excessive bleeding during the tattooing procedure will reduce the amount of pigment absorption. Alcohol and certain medications act as blood-thinners and should not be taken prior to and following after the procedure is complete.
What Should I Do Before My Procedure?
If you have an ideal shape and colour in mind, bring a few reference photos with you to your appointment. You may fill in your eyebrows as you normally would so we can take into consideration the shape you desire. If you regularly get your eyebrows shaped, waxed, threaded or tinted, please do so at least 3 days before your appointment.
If there are any stray hairs that fall outside of our final shape, we can remove them. If you plan to go on a vacation, it is recommended to plan your trip a minimum of 10 days after the procedure.
We require our clients to avoid any blood thinning medication for a minimum of 72 hours prior to their appointment. This includes Vitamin E, Aspirin, Niacin, and fish oil supplements.
Do not drink any alcohol the night before and day of your appointment and limit the amount of caffeine you consume.
If you have been on prescription Accutane in the past, you MUST wait at least one year before considering this procedure.
Avoid sun exposure the week before your appointment, if you are sunburnt you will need to reschedule. As your skin exfoliates from a sunburn, it will take the pigment with it. We do require a minimum of 48 hours for cancellations of an appointment, however, so plan accordingly.
How Will I Look Immediately After?
Your permanent makeup will appear darker and more intense than expected for the first few days. This will gradually lighten during the complete healing process. Redness and swelling is minimal. This will shed off at about 6 to 10 days. Some people report very little flaking others more.
What Should I Do After My Procedure?
You will need to wipe the area regularly to remove any lymph fluid. You will also be required to use the creams you are provided with and to follow the detailed Aftercare instructions you will be provided with. It is highly beneficial to follow these instructions to ensure a comfortable healing process and to achieve the best results.
You can expect to not get the procedure wet or to do any cardio exercise for 10 days after the procedure. Walking is fine, but really you will need to take a break from exercise for optimum results.
During your appointment, we will analyse your skin’s undertone to anticipate how pigment colours will fade in the future. We will also mix pigments to ensure colour blends well with your existing eyebrow and hair colour.
The majority of our clients’ Cosmetic Tattoos stay true to colour and lighten naturally over time. There are some cases, however, where colours may fade to slightly different tones according to the individual’s response to the pigments (like sun exposure and iron deficiencies). Many factors affect these changes.
At your next appointment, we will re-analyze how your body has responded to the initial colour. Special formula alteration to correct the colour and to prevent further colour change is made at this time. Your eyebrow tattoo will eventually look softer and have more of a “powdered” look. This happens with all clients as the skin ages.
To keep your cosmetic tattoo looking good, a Refresh Appointment is suggested every 1 to 3 years. Results vary with each client.
I Want My Tattoo to Last – Tell Me How!
A good sunscreen should be applied daily AFTER healing and is required to help keep colour true. As with any tattoo, sun exposure will make the colour soften faster.
Fading speed depends on your skin type, lifestyle, sun exposure, pigment colour used, broken capillaries, and if any chemical peels were done after your procedure.
If you are planning a chemical peel, laser treatment or other medical procedure, please inform the technician that you have had a cosmetic tattoo. Careful application must be taken to avoid affecting the tattooed area.
What Technique Will Be Best for Me?
Claudine's approach is to create brows that fit naturally with your features and enhance your appearance while looking soft and natural. A very structured brow that is popular with the under 35s will look hard and unnatural on those over this age and is a common mistake in this industry.
Claudine's years as a top professional Makeup Artist gives her a unique approach, she is less interested in executing a harsh pattern, than in how to replicate the look of soft, natural, enhancing brows for the individual using the best techniques to achieve this. However, the individual's personal style and desired look are taken fully into consideration when deciding on the shape and colour of the brows. After seeing 1000s of procedures long term, Claudine feels that really the best procedures for most people is the Soft-Edged Powder Brow, Ombre Brow or Mist Brow, which she can make to any shape and style and density you desire. In some cases, the Combination brow where strokes are Microbladed at the inner fronts of the brows, (the heads) works well also.
We are moving away from Microblading as a technique for many reasons. After having trained with European Artists who are the masters of soft machine work, she feels that she can achieve a far softer and more natural look that stays truer to colour and looks the most natural, and lasts better than traditional Microblading, which is a technique that originated in Asia, and really is most suitable for their and similar skin types.
If you have oily skin, the hair stroke eyebrow technique Microblading will NOT work well for you. The constant production of oil will cause the hair strokes to heal with a diffused, or patchy look. Your end result will look more powdered than you would expect and it will not last long. Sun-damaged skin also is not good for Microblading alone
The reason why you see other places offering just Microblading is because that is all the practitioner has trained in, often for only a few days! Really Microblading alone is suited for only about 20% of clients. Microblading looks its best when it is first done, but tends to look gappy and even greyish as it ages. Also, a microbladed stroke can only really be gone through a maximum of 4 times before micro-scarring can occur. The most common myth that you hear is that microblading “is the most natural-looking”. We feel this is very much untrue, the little strokes can look stiff and unnatural compared to real brow hair. Claudine's advanced shading techniques with Soft-Edged Powder Brows and Mist Brows blend the natural hair into the tattoo far more naturally. Sometimes she opts to use strokes as well, but only if she feels she can mimic the width and colour of the client's natural hair, or in the case of clients with little or no brow hair, to add a little natural texture.
Claudine has trained extensively with artists in the USA, Australia, and from Europe. The range of techniques she has learnt means she can provide great results that will work BEST for you.
Booking and Deposit Information
You can make a booking enquiry here through our Contact Us page, or you can call us on 04 974 8084.
Claudine generally likes you to come in for a free consultation if you are in the Wellington area, but if you are coming from out of town she is happy to do the consultation by email, with photos.
Claudine is very in demand because of her great healed results and the word of mouth business this ensures. She has a waiting time of an average of 3 months for Cosmetic Tattooing appointments, however, free consultations are available usually in the next few weeks.
When first you book in for a new procedure, you will be required to pay a $100 deposit to secure your appointment. This is transferable but not refundable. Existing clients will be required to pay a $50 deposit on ongoing work on their procedure.